Schoolyard Gardens — by Guest Mom Rochelle

Our local school is trying to get a schoolyard garden and I'm doing what I can to support the effort. Ideally, it would be something really lovely — like the edible schoolyard that Chef Alice Waters helped create at the MLK school in Berkeley, California.

The Edible Schoolyard website lists 20 good reasons to support a student garden and kitchen in your local schools. I can think of so many more, but my favorites are: “The garden and kitchen are beautiful spaces that connect students to their school. They provide a context for rituals and celebrations. And a kitchen and garden promote risk taking, such as trying new things...foods, activities and making new friends.”

If you're interested in more information, I am continuing the schoolyard garden theme at studio g today with more postings about specific ways to fund a garden and ideas for getting started on a small scale. And may I also say, thank you so much for the opportunity to be a Guest Mom this week — it's been lovely!

photo by Jen Sundeen

Book of the Week — The Day They Parachuted Cats on Borneo — posted By Guest Mom Rochelle

As someone with a career based on the outdoors, ecology is on my mind. A lot. And I try to pass what I know on to my children. A great book for introducing kids to ecology, and the knock-on effects that our actions have on our environment, is called The Day They Parachuted Cats on Borneo by Charlotte Pomeranz.

Bad news: the book is out of print. Good news: your library probably has a copy. For more fun: I am giving away a couple of garden books over at studio g. Come by and check it out.

Tree House Update — by Guest Mom Rochelle

You may remember this time last year, we had just started our tree house endeavor. Phase 1 (thanks to grandpa) was the platform, Phase 2 was to make it safe (i.e.add a railing) and paint it. Here is where we are now. I love the way the rope looks and we went with red to match our barn.

So now we are onto phases 3 and 4: make the ladder safer and nicer and start adding features. Here are some of the cool swings we are considering.



Teak Swing from DWR, the leaf swing from Enea Studio, and the beautiful handcrafted oak swing from the Garden Boutique that you can customize with your own poem. Or possibly the romantic swing from Droog — it has planters in the sides and comes with seeds so that the vines will grow up the ropes. (Available through Poaa.com)

The Share Chair — by Guest Mom Rochelle

Normally I am not a huge advocate for plastic in the garden, but this chair and the rest of the collection of kids furniture by Inekehans Collection (available in the US through Wabnitz Editions) is the absolute exception.

I love the black recycled plastic that blends into the landscape and I love that learning to share is built right in. They also have a great line up of furniture for big people gardens that we are featuring at Studio g.

Flower Shop — by Guest Mom Rochelle

I love the kids stuff that comes out of France. When I saw this mini flower shop on Madame La Marchande, I fell in love, then quickly realized getting it shipped here was out of the question. So I've been considering how to make my own version. Here is what I came up with:



1) Paper parasols at Luna Bazaar.
2) Silk flowers from any local craft shop.
3) Cute watering can from Spotty Boxes.
4) French Flower Buckets from Flowers and Supplies.
5) Either of these two Ikea tables will work — the Hemnes table is almost a perfect match, and the Dalom table (which is much less expensive) would work as well.

I'm so excited to try and put this together!

Hello Again Rochelle!

What a great thing. I get to reintroduce Rochelle Greayer as a Guest Mom. Last year, her scheduled Guest Mom week was cut short. But luckily, she's here again with all sorts of wisdom about landscaping and gardens and other good stuff. I'll let Rochelle say Hello:

I am so glad to be back again guest blogging at ‘Design Mom’. It was almost a year ago exactly that I last guested and a lot has happened since. My daughter went to kindergarten, and my son to preschool (both for the first time), we went aupair-less for the first time since having children (wow, it is really nice to not be living with my child care provider anymore!), I continued to grow my design business and I launched a design blog of my own called ‘Studio g’. Whew!

I would love for you all to come visit and let me know what you think. ‘Studio g’ is inspired by many my favorite blogs (Design Mom, decor8 and Design*Sponge) but talks about garden and landscape design instead of interiors or kids stuff. I happen to think this is a very overlooked corner of the design world and would like to try and elevate it a bit. I will be posting all week in both places — here with a slant towards gardens, design, kids, motherhood and families and there with my normal mix of goodies.

Farewell Friends — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Happy Halloween!

In all my Design Mom excitement, I totally didn't come up with a costume. I'm thinking about going as a SAHM, complete with workout shoes, lounge pants and — wait for it — minimal jewelry. Those close to me know that I'm an accessory junkie, so that would be big for me. Same with wearing workout shoes in public, though I am contemplating buying some sensible "mommy" shoes for the winter. The lounge pants aren't so much of a stretch. (You: "But they're so comfortable!" Me: I know!)

Whatever you are going as, I like it. Because I like you. You've all been far too kind to me and my posts, especially the one about Baby Zee. (Spoiler alert: Her given name is Zella.) Thank you for sending your love and prayers and sharing your own experiences and losses. Life is not fair, but it is beautiful.

Speaking of beautiful, isn't this blog beautiful? I've been so impressed by Gabby as I've gotten to know her. It's amazing that she can juggle her various responsibilities and still find time to appreciate the simplistic beauty of things and, more importantly, motherhood. If we could give her a standing ovation, I would, but it's kind of awkward when Mr. Dub asks me why I'm clapping in my pajamas.

By the way, where the H is Gabby finding all this stuff? Pretending to be Design Mom for a week nearly gave me IBS. I wish I was a fraction as creative and resourceful as her, but I'm also glad to be me, because no one expects much beyond the occasional funny post. I was totally unqualified to be here, but you made me feel welcome. Thanks.

Isn't it wonderful that we can all be so different and yet be united by our common natures? Mothers. Women. Humans.



I hope that you spend this weekend forgetting your to-do list - you know, the one with long-term, unrealistic goals like, "Make my outfits from sustainable fabrics before work each morning" - and reflect on your "done" list: the things that you've accomplished because of who you innately are and not who you want to be. It will make you feel good.

If you ever get bored, come visit me at www.mrsdub.com. The door is always open, along with my big mouth.

Happy haunting!
Mrs. Dub

stone pumpkins from Grandin Road

Sew What? — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

So I'm the third girl in my family, with a little brother finishing it off. My mother is a quilter. And no, not the kind of quilts your mom made with all your soccer jerseys. My mom is a quilt artist, as is evidenced by her "stash" seen here. (Though I can assure that is only a small sampling of her fabric. The quantity of material in that woman's possession is illegal in 23 states.)

My other two sisters are excellent seamstresses. One sewed my wedding invitations, the other sews her own winter coats. I, on the other hand, am just learning how to thread a bobbin.

I've frequently pestered my mom as to why I was never taught to sew, since it's clearly in our blood. She claims she tried, and I wasn't interested. Probably true, as I very involved with boy-chasing as a youth, but it's a huge regret of mine, because sewing is, like, the best thing EVER.

The point of this rambling is that when I finally learn to sew I am going to immediately make this beautiful headband by giantdwarf — after first sewing some curtains and some pillow covers and adorning every last sweater I own with a bird. Then, I'm going to make it, and I'm going to wear it every day, even to the grocery store. And then I'll go home and die because I'll be 95 by the time I figure out that stupid bobbin.

via sweet sassafras

Butter Issues — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Sometimes I hate blogging. I turn on my computer and feel like a hundred voices are screaming at me — "Buy organic!" "Live in the moment!" "Sew everything!" "Be true to yourself." It often makes me feel worse about myself, even while enriching me. Like anything, there is too much of a good thing.

The best perk of blogging, however, is the way it has made me more conscious. I'm more aware about my feelings, my preferences, my aesthetic and my choices than before I started reading. Seeing the homes and belongings of other people has made me more aware of the choices available to me. As a result, I don't settle as much when buying household goods.

Unfortunately, this is why I don't have a butter dish.

First, a confession: I grew up in margarine household — Country Crock, to be specific. (It was the 80's, can you blame us?) When I grew up and married a butter-loving man, we compromised and now break out the butter on special(er) occasions, like Sunday dinners.

For the last five years, I've just been throwing that butter on a small dessert plate. It's not totally offensive, but it isn't the best way to care for butter. Most of the time, it gets all smooshy and ends up down the drain.

However, my conscious buying has prevented me from getting a formal butter dish. Every time I go to Target, I stop and look at their small array of butter dishes and think, "You can do better." (No offense, Target; it's me, not you.) A plain, white ceramic butter dish wouldn't be the end of the world, but wouldn't one of these be even better? Then again, some of these are pricey! At least boring costs less than $10.

Clockwise from left:
1. Michael Graves for Alessi via Unica Home, $119 (!!)
2. Fiestaware at Macy's, $32
3. Blomus dish at Pure Modern, $46.34
4. Alessi stainless dish via Unica Home, $87

Hosting for Dummies — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Like many in the DM Club, I have a compulsion to throw parties. I would actually prefer to be a guest at a cool gathering, but so would everyone else, so I play party martyr a few times a year. My biggest weakness is baby showers. I could meet you in the check-out line, and I would offer to host your shower. (That actually happened.)

Thankfully, my bestie and her sis run Gourmet Girls. Everything I know I've learned (= stolen) from them and their long line of culinary-minded kin.

Thus, if I had to give one tip for throwing a big bash it would be to copy someone else. It's always easier in my opinion, and you know it's worked before. (Unlike Mr. Dub's proposed grilled cheese party: BYOC. Get it?)

Here are a few other tips I've learned from them and from my own hosting gigs, though this might be a big "duh" for some of you seasoned party peeps. However, if you ever read this blog and feel a tad insecure like me, here you go:

* Lots of food, little table - While your table will be crowded, an overflowing smorgasbord looks more impressive than a spartan spread, even if it's the same amount of food. If you are going for a modern look, you can still benefit from a smaller space; just organize food into tight rows.

* Plate up - Use tiered trays and cake stands to add height and interest to your spread. Easy.

* Personalized dishware = homemade - I'm all about convenience foods, especially with the gourmet variety now available at warehouse and grocery stores. The key is to plate them on something equally beautiful. Do not serve it out of a plastic container, or I will fight you.

* Pick your battles - Do NOT convince yourself you are going to try 10 new recipes for the big event. First, you'll freak out the night before and edit the list down, wasting a ton of groceries, and then Mr. Dub will give you that look. Second, you don't have the time or energy. Just pick a few "wow" items from your repertoire and supplement the rest with pre-made items and easy dishes.

* Ten percent rule - I totally stole this from the Gourmet Girls, who always plan for 10 percent more food than they think they need. (Understanding that typically one-third of your guest list won't show.) You'll probably go home with leftovers, but better than than seeing your guests stop by Taco Bell on the way out.

* Let it go - When it's time to party, party! You do want to be on top of refills, but don't be a slave to the kitchen. You did the work; you deserve to enjoy it. It's not worth it if you are counting the minutes until everyone leaves. (Unless it's your awkward friend who always talks about her ex-boyfriend -- from tenth grade. That's understandable.)

image via the amazing Amy Atlas

Spooky Snacks — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Halloween is a sacred occasion at Mr. Dub's workplace. Their annual party is NOT to be missed, both because it is over-the-top and because, well, you gots to make nice with the boss sometimes, you dig?

Every year, they put on a killer Halloween party with serious prizes (= $$) for various things like coolest costume and best plant photo. (We dressed our spathaphyllum as Hugh Heffner surrounded by Miss Dub's baby dolls, but the photos were mysteriously deleted when I accidentally hit delete. Maybe it was a sign?)

This year we have our eyes on the spookiest snack contest. Last year there was some freaky contenders, but this year I want to win. There is a fine line between clever and repulsive, so I'm leaning towards something tasty with a seasonal twist. Here are a few ideas I found (once again) on the BHG website, although some aren't very creepy. But someone needs to make something you actually want to eat, right?

p.s. Mr. Dub just informed me we are making this rat-infested cheesecake via Delish. Looks like a winner!

Glamma Fabulous — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Glamma Fabulous is a woman with so much creative energy that you can't stop by her home without making an impromptu craft or two. She can turn anything ordinary into something extraordinary, which makes her (as the name implies) fabulous. Glamma is a local artist, mother to five talented women, "glamma" to 10.5 grandkids and wife to a man who makes the meanest ribs in the West. Her speciality is holiday crafts, and Halloween is her favorite. You'll have to visit her blog to understand the depth of her H-day passion. I'm especially digging her Nightmare Before Christmas-esque decorations.

Flower Power by Guest Dad James — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

I'm about to blow your minds with a blogosphere first: guest blog within a guest blog. Did your head just explode? Sorry. As I mentioned, I'm a bit unqualified to give design advice, but I'm lucky to be surrounded by talented friends and family, like my brother-in-law, James. He's not only a caring husband and father to two boys, but he's the owner of Flowers on Main. Let me tell you, his floral arrangements aren't just pretty; they're art! I put back on my reporter cap and interviewed him about fall floral care. Then, I asked for a free arrangement.

MD: Why are flowers so essential to celebrating seasons?
James: Flowers are always for the moment. Flowers are the crowning jewel of any holiday; they bring colors, textures and fragrances you can't get any other way.

MD: How can you make your flowers live longer?
James: The biggest killer of fresh flowers is bacteria in the water. To maximize vase life, always use professional floral preservative in your water. If none is available, add a teaspoon of Clorox to a quart of water. Make sure that your bouquet has plenty of water. Flowers drink a lot more when they are not in a collr. Change the water when it looks like the water is getting cloudy. This is also a good time to recut the stems with a sharp knife. This will reopen the path for more water uptake.

MD: What are some good fall flowers?
James: Mums, lilies, gerberas, roses, hypericum berries, leaves, branches, hydrangia, sunflowers, rovers, safflower, coxcomb, purple majesty, kale, solidego, artichokes, just to name a few.

MD: What's your favorite flower?
James: I love most any flower when it's in season and at its peak of perfection.
MD: Very diplomatic.

MD: Want to put in a shameless plug?
James: Sure. You can find us online at www.flowersonmainstreet.com.
MD: Did you mention your shop is inside a cozy, vintage home?
James: No, I didn't, but it is.

image from Rose and Radish

Making Nice With Halloween — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Warning: Halloween isn't really my holiday. I know, poor timing on the Guest Momming, right? Actually, no holiday is really my holiday because I'm very much an "every-day-is-a-holiday" kind of spontaneous person, so any form of obligatory tradition rubs my anarchist self the wrong way. Mr. Dub calls me a communist; I prefer impulsive.

Ideological reasons aside, Halloween is typically neglected at my house. I blame the limited black-orange combo and cheesy, gory décor of years past. It just felt tasteless to me. Plus, I live in an apartment (sigh), and one has to limit seasonal accents, or it ends up looking comical.

However, things have changed in the last few years. There is now a whole slew of Gothic-inspired Halloween décor that is classy and cool. Plus, green, purple and white have rounded out the Halloween palette, giving us more visual possibilities.

This year I'm really digging on black and white — black birds, white pumpkins, black and white polka-dot ribbon — though you need a dose of orange for good measure. Here's a sample of what I'm currently adoring:


{1. I heart this black feather wreath from Pottery Barn. It hints at gore but has a lot of glamour. I'm sure you could make this yourself, but I don't condone killing birds. Besides, it's on sale.

2. All you need is some black paint and a homemade stencil of something spooktacular to make these classy creepy pumpkin silhouettes, seen here.

3. The intricate lattice work on these green gourds look Victorian, giving these pretty pumpkins an antique glow. Of course, Martha is behind this labor-intensive project. My hands hurt just thinking about it. Probably not worth it.

4. An easier, but equally delightful pumpkin display found on Delish. Little bits of ribbon glued around small gourds scream "Halloween," but could easily be swapped out for a fall ribbon palette come November.}

And there's so much more out there, like this slideshow from Better Homes & Gardens' website. I must admit this magazine used to cater to people who collect roosters, but it's recently become one of my favorite home mags thanks its increasing variety and modernity. Just check out a sampling of their pumpkin designs. Swoon!

Welcome to Mrs. Dub

Please say hello to Mrs. Dub. And I'll say hello as well, because Mrs. Dub is a new friend to me. I don't know Mrs. Dub at all in real life. And I barely know her digitally. But I do know that she has been really great about emailing me with recommendations for possible Guest Moms. And her emails are always clever. So I started checking out her blog and thought she'd make a terrific Guest Mom herself. Mrs. Dub has written up a lovely little introductory post — I can't wait to get to know her:



What am I doing here?

That's a question I've been asking myself since I was invited to guest blog here at Design Mom. I like pretty things, I like to read about pretty things, but I don't find or create pretty things very often.

I like writing. I love words. I adore syntax. I — forgive me, for I have sinned — even adore alliteration when used appropriately. I once made out with grammar. So while I have the credentials to be a blogger, I don't know that I'm qualified to be a Guest Mom.

But here I am, and here you are, and, oh my, is this already the fourth paragraph?

About me: My name is not Mrs. Dub, but let's just say it's a sensible pseudonym. I blog at here, but I used to blog here. I am wife to one Mr. Dub and mother to a (just turned!) two-year-old we call Miss Dub. I'm also proud mom to Baby Zee, but she only lived for one minute outside my womb in February.

I've lived in the Chicagoland area for 3+ years. I was really freaked out by the word Chicagoland when I first got here and said I would never use it, but three years of Midwest living changes a gal. I'm in love with the city, hate the weather and miss my Arizona upbringing six months out of the year. All in all, life is good.

Before Miss Dub, I worked as a reporter, and still call myself a journalist, mostly to sound cool. I write a quarterly column for Eliza magazine and do some other stuff on the side. I've written the first 100 pages of several different novels. When I die my children can publish them as a collection of short stories, because short stories are much more palatable when you're dead. (IMHO.) (Also, I hate Web acronyms.)

I hope that you will bear with me, my writing, my finds and my poor photography skills.

I regret I'm not one of those moms –the kind who leave you wondering how they do it all, in antique shades of turquoise to boot – but I am a mom, and I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather be.

Happy reading!

Children’s Books: My Favorites — by Guest Mom Wendy Baldauf

My dear friend’s daughter just celebrated her 8th birthday, and I got her books. A smattering of my favorites. It was hard to choose — there are so many great ones — but these are some of the books I got for her:

Pink and Say by Patricia Polocco
This book makes me cry every time I read it. It’s a good book to have if you have 5th graders, because it’s about the Civil War, which is part of the 5th grade social studies curriculum. It has generated so many great questions with my own kids- so much learning.

The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins by Lester Laminack
Another tear-jerker. It’s a sweet story of a great-grandmother with Alzheimer’s- totally tender and moving, and perfect for helping children understand the disease.

Tulip Sees America by Cynthia Rylant
If you have a 3rd grader, they’ll be learning all about cardinal directions this year- get this book. Get a map of the United States, and while you’re reading it, have your kids tell you which direction Tulip is heading. So fun.

A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
This is a terrific read-aloud! Grandma Dowdel is unforgettable, and by the last chapter you’ll love her so much, the end of the book will have you in tears. Or maybe it’s just me…

Sister Light, Sister Dark by Jane Yolen
This is book one in the Great Alta series, there are three books in the series so far. All about girl power, these books are good for girls from 12-90+, but younger girls may be able to handle them as a read-aloud. Such a great storyline- I’ve read it a few times and each time, I can’t put it down.

Oh, if I only had time to share every favorite on my list. I’d need at least 5 blog entries! I hope you are able to read these and enjoy them.

Gifted and Talented: A Semi-Rant — By Guest Mom Wendy Baldauf

There has been a lot of discussion in PTA circles about the gifted and talented program — what brand of enrichment is it, who is entitled, and who ought to be included but isn’t. In our district the program for the gifted and talented kids is called WINGS, and it’s available to the brightest students in grades 3-8. (That word is italicized because it’s such a loaded and irritating word for me — more on that in a minute...)

Each elementary school in the district has its own WINGS teacher, which means the quality of the enrichment at each school varies because some of the WINGS instructors aren’t great. Sadly, my kid’s school isn’t the best in the district in this regard, but my kids have been and are currently in WINGS: Jesse, who is 15, was included during 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, and Grace, my 4th grader, was invited to join this year. That being said, I’m not convinced it’s actually a positive experience for students.

The mommy-discussions range from “my kid should be included and isn’t” to “it’s so elitist” to “why can’t every student be included?” to “it gives kids with big heads even bigger heads.”

Because of the intrinsic unfairness with giving enrichment to only the brightest, our district has adjusted the program to include everyone in a full-class setting: the WINGS teacher pushes in to each class once a cycle and delivers a fun lesson that is curriculum-based. Even so, the program in our district has unfortunately taken on a “have/ have not” persona — many kids, who are not invited to join WINGS, automatically view themselves as ‘not smart.’ I hear it all the time! This in an indication that the entire system is flawed.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I wouldn’t deny any gifted kid the chance to progress and grow. If our own child was an awesome soccer player, wouldn’t we find her a team? If our child was naturally artistic, wouldn’t we sign her up for lessons? Yes, of course, we would. Same goes for every kid who performs consistently above grade level — that kid deserves to be intellectually challenged.

However, in every class there are bright kids who do not excel academically. Maybe they’re poor test takers. Maybe they weren’t born with a math brain. I clearly remember a conversation I had with my daughter Jesse as a 3rd grader: we were talking about WINGS, and she said “Clara should be in WINGS because she writes cool poetry. And Madison should be too because she’s great friend.” There are so many ways to be great and special, but we’ve been programmed to think that success = academic success and poor academic success = failure. And the whole ‘I’m smart/I’m not smart’ polarization really ticks me off.

If you’re as interested in these things as I am, and would like to read an interesting perspective on education, I just finished a book entitled: Real Education: Four Simple Truths for Bringing Americas Schools Back To Reality by Charles Murray. His in-your-face attitude about public education is refreshing and bold, and his views about how to fix the system are surprising. His perspective certainly challenges some of my closely-held beliefs, particularly about higher education.

Note from Design Mom: the sketches at the top are by my brother-in-law Paul Ferney. He's a fantastic artist — definitely gifted and talented. : ) He's participating in Open Studios this weekend in San Francisco. If you're in the Bay area, you should totally stop by and say Hello.

The Thing I Wish All Parents Knew Before Their Kids Start Kindergarten — by Guest Mom Wendy B

If you take nothing else from my visit here, please take this piece of information and use it:

If you are involved in your child’s school, in whatever capacity, your kid will fare better academically than the kid whose parents aren’t/can’t be involved.

There is so much literature out there supporting parent involvement in schools, it’s silly to imagine there are parents who simply choose not to pitch in. But in truth, there are social, economic and cultural barriers that prevent some parents from participating in their child’s school, even if they have a desire to do so. Each day I see parents who, when they have an appointment at school, need to pay a taxi for each ride because they don’t own a car and they live too far away to walk. Many times they simply cannot get there.

Single parenthood is another social and financial barrier — a very difficult, time-consuming and tiresome barrier. We acknowledge and appreciate all single parenthood entails. How can we argue with those single parents who simply do not have another ounce of energy for school events? I totally get that. I’ve been there. I could go on and on.

My plea then, to those of you who have been blessed with sound families and stable homes: please get involved with PTA and help support those sweet students — your kids’ friends — whose families are struggling. Not all parents can be involved; can you be involved? Your own children will be better, smarter, and more capable, and you will help support the entire school community — every child. It’s important.

In case you're interested, here are two adequate books on the subject:

Building School and Community Partnerships Through Parent Involvement, by Kay Wright and Delores Stegelin. In addition to the points I’ve already made, this book goes on to discuss the unique issues that are exclusive to those families with special needs students.

Parents Are Lifesavers: A Handbook for Parent Involvement in Schools, by Carol S. Batey. There is so much good stuff in this book for PTA members — it ought to be a must-read. It’s not exclusive to PTA though, and it has fantastic ideas for ways for you to get involved in a sort-of ‘don’t-wait-to-be-asked’ way.

‘Till tomorrow. . .

Note from Design Mom: the gorgeous illustration at the top was found on Definatalie. It was drawn in 1910 as a vision of what the year 2000 would be like. How cool is that? It's part of series and the collection is housed at the National Library of France.

Welcome Guest Mom Wendy!

I can't wait for you to meet my friend, Wendy! Wendy knows much about many topics, but one of the things she cares and thinks about the most is how parents can get involved in their child's school. Like most parents, she has strong opinions about what works and what doesn't — and she doesn't mind a bit if you don't agree with her.

So with that in mind, I asked Wendy to share her PTA-expert-wisdom with us. Also, I think I should mention that Wendy is gorgeous. She looks just like the lead in The Notebook. Identical.

Here's more introduction in Wendy's own words:



What’s up everybody? I’ve never blogged before, although I’m a frequent and enthusiastic visitor to this site. I’m honored to have been asked to join the fun! I’ve always thought the most perfect job on the planet would be having a syndicated opinion column, where I could just prattle on about anything I thought was relevant. So why don’t I blog? Seems like an even better deal, right?

Gabby asked me that question about 2 years ago, and my answer was, ‘my life isn’t that interesting…’ But I'm feeling like my life has gotten a lot more interesting (or at least busy-er), since I was installed as PTA president at my kids’ school.

I have learned a lot: about public education, about school politics, and most importantly, I’ve learned that most parents just want their kids to be comfortable, happy, intellectually challenged, and socially adjusted. Plus, they want to see the real, tangible examples of their kid’s progression. Many of the calls that I get are due to the lack of communication in these areas.

Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but there are many, many parents who do not use their voices to advocate for their own children. The job of the PTA, then, is to be an advocate for children and families who, for whatever reason, do not have a voice in their own school. My job as PTA president is to make sure everything gets done: to make sure there are enriching programs that benefit every student during school, to oversee and help to organize fun social functions after school hours that are accessible to everyone, to present clear communication between home and school about upcoming events and programs,

And since school has just begun, the best part of my job is getting to know new families, helping them feel at ease, giving out as many comforting hugs and words of encouragement as are needed, and showing them how to easily navigate the school hierarchy.

On another note, it seems to be a tradition for Guest Moms to share the things they love, but I’ve been asked to talk about all things PTA — and it feels like a boring introduction. : )

So let me show you some of the things I love — things I’m certain you won’t see on Gabby’s blog ever again:



1. Someday, I would love to own this 1967 Impala, or any hot late 60’s ride.

2. We just bought this bed, and it’s comfortable and beautiful, and every time I lay down I feel like someone should feed me grapes and fan me.

3. This is our boat, and I. LOVE. IT. We have so much fun and carefree family time on the lake, splashing around, skiing, and showing off. I realize it's not in everyone's budget — we had to save up for ages to get ours — but owning a boat is a terrific way to spend your summers. And work on your tan.

And now, I’ll dive right in and share my experience and thoughts about all things PTA. Hopefully by Friday I’ll have convinced you to pitch in and serve. I’m grateful to have been invited to linger this week and share my small area of expertise.

Decor-in-a-jar — by Guest Mom Cathe Holden

If you stand still in my house long enough, you're likely to get pickled.

I pickle most everything, sans the vinegar. Placing virtually any non-food objects in jars creates instant decor. Walking through my house the other day I noticed that I actually have more glass encased stuff than I would have ever guessed. I think of it as 3-dimensional framing.



Simple glass canisters make the best displays. In one I have a nest found abandoned in my father-in-law’s Sonoma vineyard by my kids while picking grapes. In another, cotton picked by my grandfather when he was young. Beads, buttons, nature finds, miscellaneous craft scraps and vintage game pieces fill other jars or bottles. I’ve a candy jar that holds a chubby little wooden horse carved and painted by my dad a few years ago and a large apothecary jar filled with potpourri and old book pages. One of my favorites is a little mason jar that holds a collection of unique rocks from camping trips that my children, as a tradition, find just for me.

Budget Birthdays — by Guest Mom Cathe Holden

When I was a kid, we didn't have a party for every birthday. We did, however, get to choose what was for dinner. Boy have times changed.

Money was very tight when my kids were little. You know how the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Turns out to be a wonderful concept as it put my creativity into overdrive and my kids always had more fun when we created an event rather than simply hosting one.

When my son, Bennett, turned 3, (he’s now 13!) we held a birthday parade. At that time, we lived in a track-house neighborhood, which made for the best of parade routes. We invited guests to bring their bikes, wagons, skates and baby-doll strollers. We tied balloons to everything that moved. One mom pulled the wagon with the “Happy 3rd Birthday” sandwich-board that hid the boom-box blasting parade music. (As official parade director, I’m somewhere in the back.) We circled the hood to find neighbors coming out onto their porches and into their yards to wave us by. You’ve never seen a prouder group of tiny people. No one seemed to care that it was raining on our parade. Soon enough we were home for cake, ice cream and presents before everyone left happy and ready for a nap.



Homemade Invitations: $5...Balloons: $25...Cake & Ice Cream: $20...A birthday we’ll never forget: Priceless.

Sketchbook: Never Leave Home Without It — By Guest Mom Cathe Holden

As a graphic designer I have sketched and thumbnailed thousands of ideas over the years relating to client projects. Since becoming a parent I find my sketchbooks now overflowing with birthday cake and invitation designs, sketches of my children, ideas for unique products that are sure to make me millions (...lots of those), lists, quotes & scripture that hold special meaning, and many other things that pop into my head on a daily basis. Occasionally I will revisit past sketchbooks to find myself in different chapters of parenthood.

The turning point page is the one with tiny sketches of all the office furniture from my downtown design firm. This page takes me back 13 years ago when I made the decision to leave a corporate life and become a work-at-home mom. It’s a sketch of office furniture that I had in my office with my husband’s handwriting in the measurements. He helped me figure out what would fit in my new home-office in the garage, and what had to go. A bittersweet time then, but a blessing many times over.



I have a preference for large spiral-bound sketchbooks, found at most craft and art supply stores, for business and home. Moleskine blank journals are a favorite for keeping in my purse and car to log my thoughts on the go. Sketchbooks are my form of journaling life, one doodle at a time.

Welcome Cathe!

Oh my goodness. After a 5-week hiatus, we have a Guest Mom again! And she's a really good one. Fantastic. Please say Hello to Cathe Holden.

Cathe is the wife of a fireman and the mom of 3 great kids ages 11, 11 and 13. She works from home as a graphic designer in Northern California’s beautiful countryside among the dairies and vineyards on the outskirts of a wonderful little rivertown called Petaluma. Her blog, Just Something I Made, is a combination of craft and design inspiration.

I invited Cathe to join us here immediately after seeing her wonderful blog. And I'm so glad I did. She has such lovely things to share with us.

PS — Remember. You can enter the Kayce Hughes Giveaway until midnight tonight!

Auf Wiedersehen! — by Guest Mom Jane Maynard

Look at that, just 1 week guest blogging on Design Mom and the paparazzi SWARMED around me when I showed up at Berlin Fashion Week. It was total craziness.



Alright, not really.



What a week! Berlin! Design Mom! It's been fabulous! Thank you all for such awesome comments this week. You've shared great ideas, books, websites. You've said the nicest things. It's been so fun chatting with you all from across the Atlantic. Thank you!

Please come travel with me through Paris next week! I promise it will be beautiful and tasty. And definitely drop by This Week for Dinner regularly to share your weekly menus and recipes, and get great dinner ideas…mostly from the other readers, who never fail to inspire me in my daily, usually-semi-successful quest to make dinner.

Danke! Auf Wiedersehen!

5-Minute Make-Up — by Guest Mom Jane Maynard

I like looking nice, doing makeup, hair, all that girly stuff. But I usually have just enough time to throw my hair into a ponytail and run out the door. Needless to say I have mastered the art of 5-minute makeup. And I love the products I use, so here you go!

Step 1: Conceal
The biggest reason I put any makeup on in the first place is to cover up red spots/blemishes and make myself look less tired. There are a few products I use for this “conceal” step that do just that.



1. Concealer. Bare Escentuals Bisque Multi-tasker (you’ll use a different color than bisque if your skin is darker than mine) with the Bare Escentuals Concealer Brush. I apply the multi-tasker directly to my trouble spots and then blend out with the brush. Using a brush is key with concealer. It’s worth the extra investment.



2. Loose Powder or Bronzer. I use a light bronzer. Just a little bit all over to blend the rest of my face in with the spots I’ve concealed (I apply a little more to the temple/top of my cheek bone area). My favorite bronzer is from Stila. If you don’t want any sparkle, just get a loose powder 2 shades darker than your skin. If you don’t want to bronze, just use a loose powder matched to your skin tone.



3. Cream concealer on eyes. This is my FAVORITE makeup trick. I always apply a cream concealer or foundation (whatever I happen to have on hand) to my eyelids. It covers up all those little veins, makes you look more awake, and helps eye shadow go on smoothly and stay put. When I apply, I spread a little to under my eyes as well.

Step 2: Cheeks & Eyes



1. The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick is the best thing ever. I use the the Bronze Shimmer brick for my cheeks and eyes. Just brush a bit on my cheeks (right on the apples and brush straight back towards the tops of your ears). On my eyes, I use the darkest shade in my crease, the lightest shade right under my brow, and the shade closest to the lightest shade on the lid. Here’s a picture of my well-loved Shimmer Brick to give you an idea of what I’m talking about.



Normally I stop here, but if I want to look even more awake, I will throw on some mascara. But I HATE mascara, so that hardly ever happens. When I do wear it, my favorite is the Everything Mascara by Bobbi Brown.



Oh, and I do curl my eyelashes. Make sure you start curling at the base of the lash, and then curl it about three times, moving up the lash. If you just curl once near the base, you’ll get a funny lash crease.

Step 3: Lips
I almost always skip step 3. But my favorite quick lip trick is the Shimmer Stick from Origins. It doubles as a pencil & lipstick, doesn’t feel to heavy on and looks great. Lucky Penny is my favorite color.



Please feel free to share your favorite makeup trick or product!

Diaper & Wipes Case — by Guest Mom Jane Maynard

This is one of my all-time favorite mommy “gadgets” so I just HAD to share it with you. My friend Marie’ made this diaper/wipes case for me and I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. I am not kidding when I say I was using a brown lunch bag to carry a few diapers and a wipes case in my purse before I received this beautiful gift.

So, how can you get one of your very own? Well, they do sell similar products like this at Babies R Us. But if you are crafty, you can really make something cute, and patterns are popping up everywhere. For inspiration, here are other cases Marie’ has made. And my artist-friend Melissa made this seriously stunning “poopy clutch” based on a Martha Stewart pattern for something completely different. Talk about creative.

Regardless of how you get your hands on one of these puppies, you’ll be glad you did.